Automatic sprinkler for stationary fire-extinguishing apparatus and fusible link employed therewith.



No 868,602. PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907.

W. ESTY AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER FOR STATIONARY FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS AND PUSIBLE LINK EMPLOYED THBREWITH.

APPLICATION PIL'ED DBO.14| 1905.

Witmaooeo PATENT OFFICE.-

UNITED STATES WILLlAM nsTY,.or TLAGONYIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO ssTY s'PRINKLERooMPANY,

OF LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE,

ACORPORATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE;

AUTOMA IC SPRlINKLER FOR s'rn'rr'oimnv FIRE-EXTINGUISHING'APPARATUS AND FUSIBLE .LINK EMPLOYED THEREWITH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application filed December 14, 1905. Serial No- 291,777.

To all who-m it may concern: I

"Be it known that LWIL IAM ESTY, of Laconia, in*

the county of 'Belknap and State of Newj-tHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Impfbvemen ts in Automatic Sprinklers for Stationary Fire-E xtinguishing Apparatus and "Fusible Links Employed Therewith, of whiehfthe following is a specification.

The present invention consists in improvements upon that class of automatic stationary lire extinguishing -inaintained in place by means of a suitable fusible alloy, or solder, the melting point of which is low. ln

case of the outbreak of a fire, the rise of temperature causes the fusible alloy to melt, whereupon the releasing devices give way, the sprinkler valves are opened with water. J

the improvement of the-same in various respects.- In

connection with the automatic sprinkler, the present.

improvements include a fusible link which is capable. of general use wherever it is desired to control any opening in case of the outbreak of a fire, whether said opening is closed by a valve, a door, or otherwise.

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicha Figure l, is a front view of one of the improved sprinklers. Fig. 2, is a side view of the same, one of the arms of the sprinkler frame being broken away to show the strut or releasing device. Fig. 3, is a vertical longitudinal section. Figs. 4, and5, are views of the opposite "faces of one of the strut levers. Fig. 6, is a face view of the fusible link. Figs. 7, and 8, are views of opposite faces of one of the link plates.

The improved sprinkler is composed of'aframe A, a separable valve B, a distributer C, an adjusting resisting abutment D, and a separable releasing device'interposed between the valve and the abutment. The frame A, is adapted to. be secured an appropriate water supply and is equipped at one nd with a water passage which is closed by the valve. The frame has a threaded boss by means of which it is secured, to the water supply and has separated arched arms which merge together in line with the water passage where they support the adjustable screw-threaded resisting abutment D. The valve is maintained normally' closed by the releasing device. This condition continues unand the apartment in which the fire occurs is flooded v I til a rise in temperature due to the breaking out of a fire causes the parts of which.the releasing device is com posed to give way on account of the fusing ofthe solder or alloy which holds them together, whereupon the valve, being no longer held in place, is forced away by the pressure (air or water) within the water supply pipes, and thus an outlet is opened for the water." The water in passing out'encounters the face of-the distrib- I uter O, and is thereby efficiently distributed throughout the apartment over the area which the particular sprinkler is designed to protect. Generally speaking, this construction and mode of operation is common to sprinklers of this character.

The sprinkler is illustrated in the drawings on the assumption that it is to be attached above the top of a supply pipe-and itwill be described on this assumption' The sprinkler can, however, be'used by suspending it from the supply-pipe, in which case the distribute; -would be at'the bottom instead ofaft the top of the sprinkler. i

The present improvements relate to the releasing de- 7 5 vice and its relation to the valve and resisting abutment.

The releasing device comprises two strutlevers E, and F; and a iusible link comprising two like link members or plates G, and two like looking levers H.

The two strut levers E,'F, are substantially alike except that the lever E has'a grooved, in which the rounded edge of the other strut lever F, fits and'rocks. Either lever may be; used uppermost. In the drawings, the lever E, is shown-as bearing against the abutment I), while the lever F,'is shown as bearing against the valve butthi's arrangement can'be reversed. Each lever has a rounded bearing point or ball 0, which fits and rocks in a'lsocket d, with which the valve and the abutment are" provided. The two strut levers, when in placghlivethe bearing between them supplied by the groove (1, and the edge b, outside of the vertical line between, the, bearing points '0, and c. Conse: quently, the internalpressure within the water distributing system, acting on the inner face of the valve B, tends to collapse the strut formed by the two levers, as is common in many strut constructions now known in the art. This collapsing strain on the strut levers is resisted by the fusible. link. Each strut lever has an outwardly extending'elastic or spring arm a. The strut plate having a hole g, into which is entered the outer endof one of the spring arms '8; aserrated innerlface h; In assembling the parts of the sprinkler, the two i a longitudinal groove 11 on its outer smooth face; and an strut levers are put in place between the valve and the 50 aperture m, which communicates with the groove t, resisting abutment with the fusible link in place on the and extends through the body of the plate between ends of the strut levers; and the adjusting screw abutthe serrated face and the, attaching hole g. These ment then screweddown until pressure enough is plates of the fusible link are made lofsuitable metal exerted to hold-thelevers-in place and to make. the which solders readily; such 'as sheet'German'silver. valve tight. Thisaaion puts the two spring arms e, e, 55

Each locking leve'r H is composed otsuitable mate of the two. strut levers under tension. This tension is rial, such as German 'sil'vergwire Ithas a long shanglg resisted by the fusible link. It willbe' noticed that s, and bent finger t, at an angle to theshank. this tension which is resisted by the fusible link tends The-fusible link-is 'assembledby soldering the two to strengthen the strut which, in effect, constitutes a serrated 'faces it, together as illustrated inIfigs. zone 3. toggle between the valve and the resisting abutment. 60

These serrated or corrugated faces presentample solder Consequently, this tension resists the efforts of the insurface for holding the plates together when under-the 'ternal pressure within the distributing system to colstrain to which they are subjectedin practice: The lapse the strut. The internal pressure is thusresisted two locking levels are ,then put in .place. The shank and balanced by the tension on the spring arms. Coh- 0f hl g l iB'seate'd within the longitudin s'equently, no more work is thrown upon the. fusible o5 groove i, of one of the link plates-audits bent finger 1, link than if the arms e,- e, were rigid; v p

v is passed into the aperture m, in ,the' other link plate. In case of theoutbreak of'a fire, the fusible link dis- The locking levers are then soldered'in place. {'1 com-l integrates'through the melting of the solder, and very I PQ J S n is thfllmade B r w d, i promptly, on account of the small arnount of metal in grooved and apertured plates and ofthe'two beht'loclG- thelink; and thereupon, the resilienceo'i the spring 70-\ ing' levers soldered together. The solder is indicated arms e,'e, re-acts'and instantly throws the strut levers in F 1 of t w gs not indicated in out and away from the/valve. The valve is thus left 3, and 6, sinceit would confuse the illustration wh lly free to be opened by the internal pressure. Y

' of the construction of the assembled fusible link. I 6 5 I Owing 'to this t on 0 the fusible n al l k ih fusi lile link composed of two'plates and two locking 75 be made of ample strength to Withstand the strain upon levers soldered together, each plate havlng'a longitudinal it and at the same time a small thin link can be used. f F and er ure, and each lo'ck This is ofvimportance because itadds Sensitive ing lever having 'a shank fitting in the longitudinal groo e v H of one plate and entering the aperture of the other. ness of the lmkundelf the action ir as wen as 2W- 2. A fusible link composed of two plates nnd'tivirlocklng 80. ing material in the process of manufacture. The less levers soldered together; each plate having :in attaching t l th t th fi h t h t t th lti g f hole, serrations on one face, a longitudinal groove'on its the 501 dr that holds the p s of g k together the other face, and an aperture, the serrated faces ot the two plates being nd acenteach other and each locking lever qulcker the solder W111 5 a h P p W111 b hpvlng a shank fitting 1n the longitudinal groove of one 8; the action of the sprinkler. A fusible link of this con- 'lm'm and entering the a ertureof the other. struction can be used inany situation wherean open 3. A fusible link composed of-two plates and two ldck n: ing is to be controlled automatically on the outbreak soldered f each plate, i Si one race. a longitudinal grooveon li'S fitllEl' face. and an a It c for a p m the case of aperture,- the serrated'faces of the two-plates being ndjl'l- 90 40 fire doors which are to be closed automatically in the cent each other; and each locking lever lmvlngia shank case f a fi I th present case, 11 1 qgn tmction fitting in the longitudinal groofv'of one plate and entering' of the fusible link is shown in connection with the auf't f" 1 z i i'h" h 'n t, v n t m sprinkle The compound s s w waitress;zirszthsmtissinne p 1ts parts are soldered together as shown In Flg. 6, prc- 1 sents a structure having holes g, 9, at opposite ends, WILT Lml ES'IV.

' adapted to fit over two spring arms e, e; of the strut Witue'sSes: A

levers E,' and F, and to then fit in the holding notches i ,m n pumps f, l s A. Dmirrn. 

